Looking After Hutch
by elfmaiden4legs
Summary: In the aftermath of Colby's attack on Hutch in 'The Deadly Imposter' Hutch is hurt a little more seriously than Starsky first thought and it's down to him to take care of his friend...


**Looking After Hutch**

"Hey Hutch, you ok there buddy?" Starsky asked as he watched his partner's head slump backwards against the car seat, before being propelled forwards, eyes closed as he pinched the bridge of his nose, and rubbed his eyes wearily. Starsky was having a hard time negotiating the Ford Gran Torino through the busy afternoon traffic at the high speed at which they were travelling and keeping an eye on Hutch at the same time, but somehow he'd managed so far as his concern for his partner had got the better of him.

"Yeah, s'ok Starsk." Hutch slurred. "Just feel a little dizzy that's all."

After Hitch had received the heavy blow to the head from Colby, their former friend, Starsky still has no clue as to how long he'd been knocked out for, nor how long it had taken him to find his partner in that condition. Even so, the adrenalin of the pursuit shortly after the incident had appeared to disguise any evidence of an underlying head injury, until now… and the sight of his friend now sat, pale and evidently in pain, beside him, made Starsky's blood boil.

Suddenly however the sound of Captain Dobey's voice calling over the radio system pulled him out of his trail of thought, and back to the crime in hand, and their suspect.

"Zebra Three… Zebra Three, this is Captain Dobey, what's your location?"

"Hey Captain," Starsky responded, picking up the receiver. "I'm going to drop this punk off at the station." He explained, turning to look in the rear view mirror at the figure of Colby, sitting in the back passenger seat behind him, before turning back to Hutch, and adding, "Then I'm going to take Hutch to the hospital."

"Why?" Dobey asked, somewhat alarmed by this, and although Starsky couldn't see his Captain's face, he detected the note of deep concern in his voice.

"Well he doesn't look too good Captain." Starsky explained with this, observing Hutch beside him with a critical eye, and growing paler by the second. "I think he might have concussion or something."

There was a slight pause as Dobey took a moment to take all of this information in, before he finally sighed in response, faltering slightly. "Right… well, keep me informed. Get back here as soon as you can."

"Will do Captain." Starsky replied as he quickly replaced the radio's receiver.

Suddenly Hutch turned to him, face blanched and now beginning to take on a distinctive grey hew, cold sweat beginning to prick against his brow, his body immediately going rigid, and eyes wide with panic. "Starsk, I feel sick." He explained.

"Oh, hang on buddy." Starsky soothed, as he immediately pressed his foot down on the accelerator, increasing their speed by a few extra miles per hour, although it quickly became apparent that the protestations of his partner's stomach weren't going to make it as far as the Bay City police station.

"Starsk…" He groaned.

"Oh, not in the car, please Hutch." Starsky begged, as he immediately hit the breaks and, pulling the Ford Gran Torino out of the heavy line of traffic, swerved towards the curb; the car finally coming to an abrupt stand still as it hit the concrete side of the pavement with a heavy jolt.

Hutch quickly managed to unbuckle his seatbelt, and, throwing his passenger side door open urgently, leapt from the car with only a few seconds to spare before his abdominal muscles began to convulse.

"Don't you dare move!" Starsky warned, pointing at their crook, now ex-friend as he got out of the car and raced around the other side to check on Hutch, who he now saw was in the process of throwing his guts up all over the road.

Cars were swerving slightly to avoid getting their windows, bonnets, and wheels splattered. When he'd finally finished however, Starsky still rubbing his back soothingly as Hutch remained doubled over, hands on his knees, still trying to catch his breath back, his partner asked;

"Better buddy?"

As the blonde Detective looked up at him Starsky was relieved to observe that he was now at least beginning to get a little of his colour back with this however.

Hutch nodded. "A little… thanks Starsk.

Starsky smiled. "Don't mention it."


End file.
